A Funeral Flower
by SavedandChanged
Summary: What if Asuma and Naruto had a private conversation before he died, knowing he would soon be dead and he specifically wanted Naruto to take care of Ino, knowing how emotional and self-destructive she could be?


**Please take it easy on me, I was half asleep when I wrote this and I'm a bit rusty. Not my first fic, though, so I think you'll like it once you get passed the absurdity of the idea behind it. It's supposed to be set a while after Asuma actually died, like at least six months or so after he died, and no one else is still mourning, not at his grave, at least. I don't own any of these characters and I don't expect any money off this story, so I don't think copyright should be too much of an issue. Please enjoy the story.**

There she is, so close, yet so far away. Her usual purple now replaced by a black kimono and her trademark smirk long gone, in its place is the expression of extreme sorrow, the kind she never used to show. Asuma-sensei died and it was my fault for not getting there fast enough. I didn't finish the technique in time and a man died because of it. He was more than just a man, he was a father to be, and a husband, and a teacher. I couldn't have finished this technique sooner to save his life? How selfish I was to have taken a break to rest instead of continuing my training.

She is standing there, no tears anymore, but just staring at his expressionless face. I notice Shikamaru isn't here and Choji left long ago. It's just her and I now, and I know she can tell I'm here. She doesn't care enough to say anything about it, though. To her, one of the most important people in the world just faded from it.

I find myself drawn to her and I stand just behind her, close enough to touch without stretching my arms, and I close my eyes, just breathing. I sigh shakily and open my eyes, starting, "Ino, I'm sorry this all happened. It's all my fault… Had I only finished my technique a day sooner…", but she turns her head slowly, her pale skin shimmering in the moonlight, and her eyes silence me.

"You couldn't have stopped this if Shikamaru, Choji, and I couldn't, Naruto. Don't blame yourself… You'll just drag yourself down with Asuma-sensei", she says softly, and I read her eyes as if I were looking in a mirror: these are my eyes for a very long time, sadness, loneliness, hurt, all these and more crammed in such beautiful blue eyes.

I close my eyes and embrace her tightly, trying to show her that she isn't alone, something I had wished for myself many times when I was a child. She shivers, hesitates, and, finally, hugs me back. "I'm always here for you, Ino-chan… I know exactly how you feel… No one knows this about me, but... ", I start, but a lump in my throat forces me to almost cry at the mere thought of those times and I have to swallow hard to fight it off. I look her in the eye with a very sincere expression on my face, "I was hated by the whole village for a very long time… I… I was alone in an apartment that Sandaime paid for… I was attacked multiple times a year, usually not too badly… But… On my birthday, I was always nearly killed… My birthday, the day the Kyuubi attacked and was sealed in me… The villagers always saw that demon who killed their loved ones in me and they attacked me… I was so alone… So depressed for such a long time… I… I know exactly how you feel right now, Ino-chan… If you need me, I am more than glad to listen if you want to talk or hold you if you need to cry…", I say, a sad smile resting on my lips as I pull back and a tear runs down my face, the memories proving to be too harsh and horrible to contain the emotions.

I walk away and go to my usual spot on top of the Yondaime's head, sitting in silence, looking out over the village at all the people who hate me that I saved, and thinking about one of the only ones who actually cared for me being one of the ones I couldn't save. I hear soft footsteps behind me and notice the lack of a wooden sound, deducing it must be someone walking barefoot and I prepare myself for the worst. Suddenly, I feel arms around my shoulders and a head on my neck, resting there while the unidentified woman cried. It had to be Ino-chan, no other woman would know to find me here and be comfortable enough to cry on me. I turn and slowly pull her into my arms, holding her against my chest as my heartbeat slowly lulls her to sleep. When she is finally sleeping soundly, I sigh and whisper, "I know you don't want me to, Ino-chan, but I still blame myself for this. I just hope I can help you heal", and she just gives a soft smile, while still obviously sleeping.

I sit and stare for a while before I slowly descend into a deep slumber myself, it being the first time I could sleep free of nightmares in many years. I wake up with the first thing I see being Ino-chan's beautiful face directly above me and my head in her lap. We somehow changed places during our sleep and now she is the one staring at me."I-is there something on my face?", I ask, sleep still showing obviously in my voice and she shakes her head, still staring and still silent. I blush a little and just enjoy the moment, despite my embarrassment and complete lack of experience with situations like this. I examine her eyes and see that the loneliness has somehow faded from them in just this short period of time that I've been able to show her that she isn't alone and I smile, which must have embarrassed her, because it causes her to blush noticeably. "You're really something, Ino-chan", I say with a cheery tone, but still not as cheery as I usually use to hide the pain behind it.

"You can stop pretending, Naruto-kun, I've seen exactly what's happened to you and how strong you really are. I know you better than Sakura or Jiraya-sama could even dare boast. I know you hide behind your grin, that you cover up your inner turmoil with laughter and stupidity. I know why and I know you can't be persuaded to stop even by that stupid demon in you so his container will 'look more dignified'. I got to know the real you… and, I really liked him", she says and I take my turn to blush and close my eyes in shame. I take a deep breath and realize that she never opened her mouth to say any of that, but that I heard it all in my mind.

"Did you establish some kind of mental connection between us while you were in my head? Or am I just going insane after a short life of misery?", I think back at her and she giggles softly.

"You won't have to feel that misery anymore. I won't let you… if you'll have me", she says and my eyes widen and my blush darkens, mirroring her own cheeks almost exactly. I nod and she gently holds her hands against my cheeks. I sit up and pull her into my arms, her back against my chest and my chin resting gently on her head.

"Shall we see Asuma-sensei's grave once more? I doubt you've said all your goodbyes, Ino-chan", I ask and she nods, but takes my hands, hers shaking slightly, afraid that I'll leave her just as quickly as I saved her from her imminent doom at the hands of her misery. I reassure her by gently squeezing her hands as I help her stand and we both go to see the grave once more, this time as what Asuma-sensei wanted us to be rather than two individuals who were drowning in an abyss of pure dismay.

I look to the heavens and think to myself softly enough so that she can't hear me even with the mental connection we now share, "I did what you wanted, Asuma-sensei, and she'll be okay, I'll make sure of that. I'll take care of her and give her all my love and we'll live this life as one just like you wanted for her: for her to find someone who will love and care for her with all their heart rather than just care about her beauty, because she's more than that, she's a gorgeous soul who cannot be tamed, and a gentle smile to catch you when you're feeling down. She has a loud mouth sometimes, but she can be quite sweet when she tries to be, and, I kinda like how she can get as loud as I can. It will make arguments interesting. I think I'll take off my mask now and keep Shikamaru's mind stimulated with games of Shogi like you asked of me. I know I shouldn't have waited so long to do this, but better late than never, right? Anyway, thank you for taking such great care of your students and for all your help with the wind nature. I hope we see each other again someday. Ja ne, Asuma-sensei."

I smile at her and kiss her forehead, "We should go tell everyone about us before they find out through the grapevine and get angry with us. Besides, I have a flower I'd like to show off to all my friends, one so beautiful that every last one of them will be absolutely green with envy once they see you on my arm", I say softly. She nods and we go off to meet our friends, hoping to get some surprised reactions and that they will understand about my mask, although, I guess that might be too much to ask for. One thing at a time, I suppose.


End file.
